Optical systems typically require a number of photonics modules for operating on lightwaves and coupling light to and from optoelectronic devices such as lasers, light emitting diodes, and photodetectors. The fundamental components of such photonics modules include optical fibers for transmitting light and spherical lenses for efficiently coupling light to and from optoelectronic devices and optical fibers. Silicon is a favored material for the construction of photonics modules because of the precision with which support walls can be formed in silicon for supporting and aligning the various optoelectronic devices, spherical or ball lenses, and optical fibers.
The copending patent application of A. Coucoulas, Ser. No. 679,506, filed Apr. 2, 1991, describes a method for bonding optical fibers and glass ball lenses to aluminum surfaces. Aluminum can easily be coated on the silicon surface and, using the Coucoulas method, one can avoid the need for epoxies or other adhesives by using heat and pressure to bond the glass elements to the aluminum.
In the commercial production of apparatus such as photonics modules, it would be desirable to use machines for placing and bonding optical elements to the substrate. Since such elements must be located with precision, it has been difficult to provide robotic apparatus which is capable of placing elements with the required precision and also applying the pressure to them needed for bonding in accordance with the Coucoulas technique. Separate placement and bonding, of course, increases the expense of the process, and it would be desirable to provide equipment capable of placing and bonding optical elements to a substrate in a single step.